The landscape in the Edmonton Oilers' crease has undergone a seismic shift following a major trade just weeks ago, with the team and their former starting goaltender moving in starkly different directions.
A Trade That Reshaped the Crease
On Friday, December 12, 2025, the Edmonton Oilers executed a significant deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Edmonton sent goaltender Stuart Skinner, veteran defenceman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round draft pick to Pittsburgh. In return, the Oilers acquired netminder Tristan Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin.
While the sample size remains small—just nine games for Edmonton and three for Skinner since the swap—the contrasting trajectories are impossible to ignore.
Oilers' Netminders Thrive, Skinner Stumbles
The immediate impact in Edmonton has been overwhelmingly positive. Tristan Jarry started strong for his new club, posting three wins and zero losses before a groin injury sidelined him. His save percentage stood at .887 during that stint.
Stepping into the breach, AHL call-up Connor Ingram has been solid, recording two wins and one loss with a much stronger .915 save percentage. Perhaps most impressive has been the play of Skinner's former backup, Calvin Pickard. In four appearances, Pickard has been red hot, boasting a .924 save percentage with two wins and two losses.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Stuart Skinner has faced a difficult transition. Heading into Tuesday night's games, his stat line showed zero wins, three losses, and a struggling .831 save percentage.
Team Success and a Defensive Paradox
The collective result for the Oilers has been a remarkable turnaround. The team has secured six wins against three losses in the nine games post-trade, a surge that has temporarily launched them into first place in the competitive Pacific Division.
As a unit, Edmonton's goaltenders have combined for a .907 save percentage over those nine contests, ranking them ninth best in the entire NHL. This is a staggering leap from their pre-trade standing, where they ranked a dismal 31st in the league with an .873 save percentage.
The improvement is even more puzzling when defensive performance is analyzed. Contrary to the assumption that the team tightened up defensively, the opposite is true. In the first 31 games, Edmonton allowed 13.9 Grade-A shots and 6.1 five-alarm shots per game. In the nine games since the trade, those numbers have worsened to 16.1 Grade-A shots and 7.9 five-alarm shots allowed per game.
Given that these high-danger chances convert into goals at rates of approximately 22% and 33% respectively, the expectation would be for worse goaltending numbers, not better.
What Explains the Dramatic Shift?
The most straightforward explanation is the small sample size and natural statistical variance. It's possible Edmonton's goalies are simply on hot streaks simultaneously, while Skinner is enduring a cold spell in his new environment.
However, a compelling alternative theory involves motivation and competition. In Edmonton, Tristan Jarry arrived eager to make a strong first impression. Both Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram are battling to secure their NHL futures. This heightened competitive environment may be extracting peak performance from all three, with Pickard in particular playing like a man possessed.
Only time will tell if this dramatic post-trade divergence is a fleeting anomaly or the beginning of a sustained new reality for both the Edmonton Oilers and their former franchise goaltender.
